


The Line of Succession

by Viscount_Ember



Series: Just Keep Moving [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: (although maybe there's a reason for that one), (kind of), (not really) - Freeform, (so I didn't), Cute, F/M, Family, Fire Nation (Avatar), Friendship, Gen, Happy Ending, I can't write Ty Lee, Iroh's not here and I don't have a good reason, One Shot, Plot Twists, Post-Canon, Post-Episode: s03e18-21 Sozin's Comet, Same for Azula, These tags will make more sense after you read it honestly, Zuko and Mai are Cute, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 05:07:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26640076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Viscount_Ember/pseuds/Viscount_Ember
Summary: It's been ten years since Sozin's comet and Ozai's defeat. Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph are rushing back to the Fire Nation. They need to get there fast.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Series: Just Keep Moving [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1942303
Comments: 14
Kudos: 238





	The Line of Succession

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone. This is just a scene I've been wanting to write. Sorry it isn't an update on my two longer pieces. (I promise I'm working on them.)
> 
> Please enjoy!

With everyone finally gathered together on Appa’s back, they flew as fast as they could towards the Fire Nation capital. Zuko had sent word two days ago, and all his friends knew they needed to hurry before they were too late. In the ten years since they defeated Ozai and saved the world from his insanity there had only been a few occasions for Appa to fly as fast as he was now. Aang was with Katara and Toph at the time so they were ready to go within the hour, but it took another day to pick up Sokka from his trade mission for the Southern Water Tribe.

Suki and Momo, of course, were already in the Fire Nation. Suki had been wrapping up an investigation on the last remnants of Ozai’s supporters in the more remote islands. Momo was not usually to be separated from Appa, but on their last visit to the palace the lemur and Zuko’s eldest—Crown Princess Izumi—had refused to be parted. Neither Aang nor the Fire Lord could bear to resist the combined forces of child and lemur begging.

As they landed in the Fire Palace’s outer courtyard, a servant came to greet them: “Avatar Aang, Masters Katara and Beifong, Deputy Chief Sokka. His Majesty informed us you were coming.”

“Where are they? We need to get there now!” Katara exclaimed.

“Right this way,” the somber man gestured as he quickly led them into the palace and towards the royal family’s private wing.

As they walked quickly past the portraits and various passageways of the enormous building, a young voice caught them off guard: “Uncle Aang! Aunt Toph!” It was Princess Izumi. Momo could be seen running off from behind her, likely searching out Appa.

“Izumi!” Aang smiled as the girl leapt into his ready hug.

“You came!” Izumi said.

“Of course we did. Can’t let you handle this on your own,” Sokka interjected.

“Come on guys. We’ll catch up on the way there,” Katara snapped at them. Like chastised children, they all followed the waterbender’s lead. Izumi remained in her comfortable position in the Avatar’s arms, so he carried her. Finally arriving at the ornate doors of the Fire Lord’s chambers, the servant opened them and then stepped away.

“Thank you!” Aang shouted as the door closed behind them. Immediately, they saw Suki kneeling in the floor outside one of the closed bedrooms. Two small boys were tottering around the warrior.

“Suki!” Sokka shouted in greeting as he swept his fiancé up and into an impromptu kiss.

“Hey Sokka,” she replied, “Good thing you guys are here. It just happened. You were about to miss the reveal.

“So-ga,” one of the toddlers chirped while poking Sokka in the leg.

With a gentle grin, the Water Tribe man reached down and lifted the child: “Yeah it’s Uncle Sokka. How ya doin?” The boy only smiled and nuzzled into a hug.

“Prince Akihiko is still a quiet one,” Suki laughed.

“Well, little guy is only two. Can’t have everyone being as loud as Snoozles from birth can we?” Toph teased. Sokka only shook his head in response. The third child, not wanting to be left out of all the affection, quickly clung to the blind earthbender.

“Hey there. Let me guess: its Prince Ryuji,” Toph smiled.

“Yep,” the three-year-old replied. Many loud noises could be heard from behind the closed door in front of them.

“You said we got here just in time?” Katara asked Suki. The Kyoshi Warrior nodded knowingly.

“Does that mean that you already saw?” Sokka asked excitedly.

Suki shook her head mischievously: “You’ll just have to wait for your chance. I’m not giving anything away.”

“You’re cruel,” the Water Tribe man grumbled jokingly. In response, Suki leaned up and planted another kiss on his lips.

“Yeah, but you don’t mind,” she smirked.

“Ugh. And you complain that Aang and I are gross?” Katara rolled her eyes. Aang merely blushed and continued giving his ‘full’ attention to Izumi, who was now telling him about an adventure she had while riding her father’s dragon.

Suddenly the door opened and Fire Lord Zuko emerged. His robes and hair were a bit disheveled, but the crown still stood in the topknot. Zuko’s face was set in its standard, solemn appearance. He surveyed the group of anxious people who had been waiting for him.

“Zuko!” Katara exclaimed.

“I’m glad you guys all made it. Come on in. The doctors just left through the side doors. They’ll come back in a few hours,” Zuko replied. He then reentered the room, leaving the door ajar. The five young adults followed quickly along with the three children that had yet to relinquish their grips.

“Awwwww,” Katara immediately cried.

“Wow,” Sokka added while his mouth gaped.

“No worries Zuko, I didn’t spoil it for them,” Suki smirked.

“Wait why am I sensing…” Toph started to confusedly ask before cutting herself off with a wide grin, “You’re kidding me, Sparky.”

“No he isn’t, I assure you. I was here,” droned a very tired Mai from the bed. The Fire Lady rolled her eyes at her husband’s friends before looking back to the two small bundles in her arms with an uncharacteristically bright smile.

“Twins!” Aang gasped.

“Yep. Twins,” Zuko smiled while walking over to sit in a chair next to the bed. He stared imploringly at Mai for a few moments before she sighed and allowed him to take one of the newborns from her.

“Two babies?” Izumi’s small voice asked as she slid out of Aang’s arms and ran over to her father’s side.

“That’s right, you’ve got two more little siblings,” Zuko replied.

“What’s her name?” Izumi asked while pointing at the bundle in Zuko’s arms.

“Ayaka, this is Ayaka,” Zuko answered gently.

“Awww. That’s such a cute name,” Katara smiled.

“And this is Taiyo,” Mai added while shifting the other child. The newborn prince hiccuped softly.

“He’s adorable,” Aang cooed.

“You know, honey, if you would just finally get around to proposing…” Katara prodded the airbender suggestively. Aang blushed and smiled.

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll get on it,” the Avatar sighed longingly.

“We’re doomed. I don’t know if the world could stand a bunch of little-Aangs running around,” Toph jested.

“Could be worse,” Mai deadpanned. Everyone turned to her expectantly and she did not disappoint: “We could be inundated with an army of tiny-Sokkas.” Laughter filled the room.

“The horror. That was cruel, Pointy,” Toph grunted in reply to the Fire Lady’s humor.

“Seriously, though Zuko. You two have been married for five years! At this rate you’ll run out of rooms in this ridiculously big palace,” Sokka teased.

“Children are like turtleducks: there’s never too many,” Zuko replied lightly. He was too distracted by the presence of his eldest daughter in his lap while he cradled his youngest daughter in his arms.

**Author's Note:**

> In case you were confused…  
> Fire Lord Zuko and Fire Lady Mai’s Children:  
> Crown Princess Izumi, 4 years old  
> Prince Ryuji, 3 years old  
> Prince Akihiko, 2 years old  
> Prince Taiyo, 0 years old  
> Princess Ayaka, 0 years old
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a kudos and/or a comment. I appreciate them a lot.


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